Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1887-12-25

anu complalsant expectation.
Mr. Brown had called her " Huldah I"
and she had flushed burning otand angry
OF the slip of the tongue. Why She
was an orphan twenty-five years old and
had left off being romantic three
years before. She had little money Of
her own, enough ~ dress herself upon,
and luxurious home in her guardian 8
house. lie aud his wife were uniformly
Kind 10 her, their children loved her as
an older sister. Success IN society,
easily achieved by her personal attfac-
lions and piquante speech, made
her IN love with world that
turned the sunny side 20 her. Mr..
Brown could secure TO her the posi-
ton held now by virtue of youth, viva
city, aud opportunity. Ho wanted a
brilliant wife, she wanted brilliant es-
adjustment. Without being a yoluptu-
airy IN any other sense of the term. she
loved spaciousncss filled with elegance,
coveted Indian fabrics and Persian dyes,
filmy lnccs, cnt crystal. prismatic stones,
and whatever ministared to the ease Of
refined flesh and pleased tho esthe ic eye.
She was thoroughly honest with herself
in the array.
Mr. Brown (whom she was not obliged
to call "Samuel, now or ever was a
solid citizen, upright, although politi-
cian, genial OF temper. As 10 glimpses
of the native wood, revealed 10y an occa-
sional scaling off Of the veneer, one
must not expect perfection. Perhaps
she could repair defects. If not, had
not Tommy lirken called her born
buffer p Might she not serve her gene
ration by fulfilling this Office to the New
England representative man ? What
blndered her from making up her mind,
then and there. to accept the goods
offered 10y the 6enienant gods-to make
an end OF irresoution and much bal
ancing Of yeas and nays?
"Thisis the battery, - said Uncle Dick.
This is what We name the diaphragm
on which tho charged needle plays
81 see said Huldah, IN her most
encouraging tone.
Her intent face warmed the exhibitor S
enthusiasm.
The photograph reproduced words in
n shrill monotone. She-tapplng his
idOl-receives, retains, and when we
wish, gives back every intonatlon, and
this, not once or twice, but thousand
times If required"
Wonderful Z" Huldah had heard
thus far. " For how long"
1--WE dare predict for twenty, thirty
years. it may be for al time"
"Ah :"
The ejaculation was crisp and insin-
cere. The monsirous improbability OF
the statement cxtinguished the faint
glow Of genuine interest.
What stood between her and salts
factory settlement Tor life? She was
tired OF drifting. Nothing but the ter
nous vision of a dream, dismissed, as
size believed long ego-when she left oil
sentiment forgood and all--this less than
shadow waved her back from substantial
advantage. In casting that summer ldyl
behind her she had snCeTed att as " Inc
Romance Of Poor loung Man For
two years she had seen and heard no.
thing Of him. lie had taken her at her
word when she saidthey could not afford
TO think of each other, probably be had
learned TO care as little for her az she did
for him. How near she had been to
saying Gas she deserved to be cared
for 80
This cylinder Uncle Dick brought
her back by putting it into her hand
"is coated with preparation OF paraf-
fine. You perceive it is family lined as
with q clOsely-writton musical stan, filled
i'm with minute stippling. II contains
two thousand wOIds-Une of Mr.. Glad
stones speeches, read carefully by dis
tiugulshcd elocudonist. ] viii adjust It
on the instrument. Listen "
it was as iluldah cried ont, astOnished,
the echo of manly resonant voice that
broke the oxpcctant silence, but clear,
net in enunciatlon and audible IN
q. ~ part OF the room. She glanced
over her shoulder i'll involuntary search
for the speaker
lis it iugglery? magic? ventrilo,
Quism? Are you a wizard? the Michael
Scott Of the nineteenth century," she
Queried, breathessly, when the cyiin-
der ceased TO revolye
1t was Us if an intelligent. invisible
presence passed away from between her
and the impractical fossil.
Uncle Dick grew taller; bis chest ex-
banded under the shabby smoking
iacket his gesture of supreme content
was sublime.
My dear, it is the Graphophone-
the Queen of TIE century. In time there
Will be one in every house. Letter
writing will be obsolete toll. Sitting
here, On a lonely, windy night, with my
hand in hers, I shall hear your very
voice telling me of Your balls and con
quests in Washington, OF the latest po-
ltical scandal, of domestic news, and
how YOU sometimes think of me. All
this the evening mail Will have brought
me on one of these cylinders put up IN a
stamped case. She will reyolutoDize
business correspondence give to elo-
oueuce and music a worldwide audience.
What may be called the sentimental
value will. | suspect, oGtrauk oil others
i'm your estimation. Think OF taking
from a drawer. when heart and home
sickness are at their height, that which
Will give to bodily ears and the sore
spirit your dead mothers voice
Her brown eyes swan IN tears, her
bands huttered upward, then fell to-
cethcr in irrepreosible emotion that
found no vent IN language.
.sOr the mother. hcGrkening between
her sobs. 10 her baby's prattle. Or the
old man, hearing the song Of the be-
trothcd he laid under the daisies hall
century ago. toll you, child. this gift
t. humanity will aunihliste time, set
change at defiance, make love lmmor-
tai :"
lie took up one cylinder after another
from a row ut the side Of the instrument,
Ls hands shaking With excitement.
"Ah this is what | was looking for
The sweetest tenor the Creator ever put
INTO A mans throat, belongs to n noble
vouug fellow who passed some days with
me here in October. We sat up till day
break two nights testing and using her.
one midnight, / asked him TO sing his
fayorite song to her. She liked 1t 50
wqll. received il 50 graciously las who
could help doing?) that she has held 1t
faithfully to her heart ever since.
Like the silvery voice OF an unseen
troubsdour under his lady's window, the
-a-.... han